You will have a campy good time watching Dollman. It's about a guy from another planet who comes to earth, but due to earth's gravity, he is about the size of a GI Joe Doll. He is chasing down a criminal (or just the head) from his home world and the criminal is also small. What makes this a classic B film is that over acting of the main character. The lines are cheesy, the plot is stupid, the concept is ridiculous and it all works gloriously together in one insanely stupid and laughable film. This is the type of film you get together with buddies and do your own version of Mystery Science Theater 3000 commentaries. So I give the film a 5 in my book.
30 Reviews
Small budget; tiny hero; big gun.
BA_Harrison24 December 2012
Brick Bardo (Tim Thomerson), a tough cop from the planet Arturus, pursues his evil nemesis Sprug (Frank Collison), a living disembodied head on a flying machine, across the far reaches of space to Earth (the South Bronx, to be precise) where he discovers that, by Earth standards, he is the size of a doll.
But as the saying goes, size doesn't matter, and after Sprug teams up with the local gang who have been terrorising the neighbourhood, Bardo becomes a miniature Dirty Harry crossed with Paul Kersey from Death Wish III, blowing away the scum and punks with his powerful side-arm.
Dollman is so cheap that it lifts special effects shots from the cheesy 70s/80s TV series 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century', but producer Charles Band and director Albert Pyun are no strangers to movie-making on a shoestring and still manage to provide a reasonably diverting time despite the obvious budgetary limitations.
Early scenes feature some neat full-body explosions, Bardo's gun being capable of blowing people completely apart; Thomerson puts in a fun performance, delivering his Eastwood influenced one-liners in a suitably gruff manner; and there are some truly daft moments that are just too ridiculous not to enjoy (Bardo's dive through a window and onto a moving car is hilarious!).
But as the saying goes, size doesn't matter, and after Sprug teams up with the local gang who have been terrorising the neighbourhood, Bardo becomes a miniature Dirty Harry crossed with Paul Kersey from Death Wish III, blowing away the scum and punks with his powerful side-arm.
Dollman is so cheap that it lifts special effects shots from the cheesy 70s/80s TV series 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century', but producer Charles Band and director Albert Pyun are no strangers to movie-making on a shoestring and still manage to provide a reasonably diverting time despite the obvious budgetary limitations.
Early scenes feature some neat full-body explosions, Bardo's gun being capable of blowing people completely apart; Thomerson puts in a fun performance, delivering his Eastwood influenced one-liners in a suitably gruff manner; and there are some truly daft moments that are just too ridiculous not to enjoy (Bardo's dive through a window and onto a moving car is hilarious!).
Guys and dolls...
fmarkland322 March 2007
Tim Thomerson stars as Brick Bardo (No relation to the same Brick Bardo who beat up tons of people in Bloodmatch)an alien cop (Not unlike the cop from Trancers) who follows one of his adversaries to earth only to stumble onto earth where he is only a foot tall, it's here he joins forces with a ghetto woman to protect her from gang violence. Jackie Earle Haley (Before his Oscar nod) is the gang-leader who is Thomerson's main enemy. Believe it or not, Jackie Earle Haley could always act and his Oscar is no fluke, as he delivers a not too shabby performance and Thomerson of course as usual is enjoyable to watch (Of course) this is a perfectly watchable B.movie, with a good sense of humor, some good action sequences and for once Pyun's disjointed and over the top directing is appropriate. So all in all this is one of Pyun's better efforts and a distinctive B.movie.
* *1/2 out of 4-(Pretty good)
* *1/2 out of 4-(Pretty good)
So it's not art, who cares! It's fun!
Madcap21122 June 2005
I love this kind of movie.
It's one of those things you either love or hate, and a lot of the venom getting tossed at it isn't needed. It's just a movie folks.
Innocent fun.
It's about this alien cop who winds up crashed on earth only to find out he's the size of a ken doll, here.
Lucky he's got his "Ruger," the most powerful handgun in the universe (don't ask). This little thing blasts holes in his foes as if it was a .357 magnum (and, as i recall, it literally blew people apart on his home planet).
It's not Citizen Kane, but it's clever and tongue in cheek. I can actually see a silver age comic book like this.
It's one of those things you either love or hate, and a lot of the venom getting tossed at it isn't needed. It's just a movie folks.
Innocent fun.
It's about this alien cop who winds up crashed on earth only to find out he's the size of a ken doll, here.
Lucky he's got his "Ruger," the most powerful handgun in the universe (don't ask). This little thing blasts holes in his foes as if it was a .357 magnum (and, as i recall, it literally blew people apart on his home planet).
It's not Citizen Kane, but it's clever and tongue in cheek. I can actually see a silver age comic book like this.
Great B-Movie!
Fanon10 June 1999
The effects are cheesy and the story is ridiculous but this is an entertaining flick nontheless. Tim Thomerson is great as the 13 inch Brick Bardo. (Love that name!) Brick crash lands in the South Bronx after chasing some criminal (actually just a head attached to some sort of board) into an energy field outside his home planet of Arturus. Brick arrives just in time to save a young woman from some hoods who take to calling each other homeboy. These tough punks with mullets to spare, are terrorizing the neighborhood. Leave it to Brick to clean up the mess with the help of his handgun("the most powerful weapon man has ever seen").
The film is filled with some hilarious material. The scene in which Brick jumps through a third floor window and catches onto a moving car below is classic. Needless to say if you go into this film with the right attitude you'll have a good time. Tim Thomerson should get more and better work.
The film is filled with some hilarious material. The scene in which Brick jumps through a third floor window and catches onto a moving car below is classic. Needless to say if you go into this film with the right attitude you'll have a good time. Tim Thomerson should get more and better work.
Cheesy, But Amusing Sci-Fi Flick
gwnightscream8 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This 1991 sci-fi film stars Tim Thomerson, Jackie Earle Haley and Kamala Lopez. Thomerson (Trancers) plays a rogue cop, Brick from another galaxy in pursuit of a criminal and crash lands on Earth. Brick finds himself among humans which are giants to him because he's pint sized. Brick helps a protesting widow, Debi (Lopez) fight against a gang leader, Braxton (Haley) and his thugs in her violent neighborhood. This is cheesy, but amusing and Thomerson is great replicating his badass character, Jack Deth from the "Trancers" films.
Cheesy fun from Full Moon!
Captain_Couth27 August 2005
Dollman (1991) was a cheesy science fiction/action film that didn't try to pretend it was anything but. Tim Thomerson stars as Dollman, a diminutive alien who's travels through space and time to capture a galactic fugitive. The low budgets of this film shows through when the film maker uses a lot of bad trick photography and repeated use of film stock in several places to pad out the film's running time. Does Dollman get his man? How will he adjust to Earth's strange people and planetary environment? To find out you'll need to track down a copy of DOLLMAN.
Recommended for cheesy film fans.
Recommended for cheesy film fans.
Dollman will never go away again.
mark.waltz15 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A little guy has a lot of power in dealing with gangs from the Bronx, but he has one thing going for him that they don't, a powerful weapon from another planet, and unlike his fellow Arturosian, he has a whole body. The ugly head of Sprug (Frank Collison) somehow makes it down to earth and fortunately doesn't land in Southern California on the beach, but in the middle of the Bronx. So one ridiculous trope of the time is avoided and there's lots to be thankful for that because of the possibilities that wouldn't have been there otherwise.
It's fun to see some vintage unkempt Bronx locations from the early 90's, looking exactly like it did a decade before in "Fort Apache..." The dollman is Brick Bardo (Tim Thomerson) who's after Sprug (let the name fit the kind of character it refers to), and has to deal with gangleader Jackie Earle Haley and his army of thugs to get to him. Certainly not a great film, but filled with lots of action and funny bits, especially jokes at Sprug's expense. A good bit of nostalgic energy that expresses the mood of the early 90's perfectly.
It's fun to see some vintage unkempt Bronx locations from the early 90's, looking exactly like it did a decade before in "Fort Apache..." The dollman is Brick Bardo (Tim Thomerson) who's after Sprug (let the name fit the kind of character it refers to), and has to deal with gangleader Jackie Earle Haley and his army of thugs to get to him. Certainly not a great film, but filled with lots of action and funny bits, especially jokes at Sprug's expense. A good bit of nostalgic energy that expresses the mood of the early 90's perfectly.
The scene with our hero jumping onto a moving car is indeed a highlight.
Hey_Sweden23 January 2012
When, upon watching this movie and hearing some of the negative feedback, I'm reminded of that adage that "one man's trash is another man's treasure". "Dollman" may indeed be silly, cheesy, low budget nonsense but it IS fun on that level, damn it. Maybe not as much fun as it could and should have been (It would have been more amusing if everybody else besides star Tim Thomerson hadn't taken themselves quite so seriously.).
The high concept story is a time honoured one, having to do with the idea of seeing a tiny individual interact with giant surroundings. That individual is Dirty Harry type cop Brick Bardo (Thomerson, in fine form), who's from a distant planet rather similar to Earth. After chasing his nemesis Sprug (Frank Collison), a living severed head whose other body parts have been eliminated by Brick, to Earth, Brick realizes that by normal Earth standards he only stands 13 inches tall. Brick befriends a hot young South Bronx resident named Debi (Kamala Lopez) and her son, while Sprug aligns himself with local gang members led by Braxton (Jackie Earle Haley). Sprug has with him a deadly bomb, but Brick's own lethal gun is absolutely nothing to be laughed at.
The director is Albert Pyun, the man behind so many other low budget genre flicks, and the supporting cast features some of his regulars like Vince Klyn (the villain of "Cyborg"), Michael Halsey, and Nicholas Guest. Other actors you'll undoubtedly recognize are Frank Doubleday (a heavy in the John Carpenter favourites "Assault on Precinct 13" and "Escape from New York"), Luis Contreras ("After Midnight"), Eugene Robert Glazer (TV's 'La Femme Nikita'), and Judd Omen ("Pee-Wee's Big Adventure"). Great, grim 'n' ugly urban decay production design, decent pacing (it's NOT deadly slow), amusing music by Anthony Riparetti, entertaining gore, and ENJOYABLY unconvincing visual effects add to the diverting package that is this little B flick. Even at just over 82 minutes, however, one can see some padding, especially in the end credits.
Overall, it's a hoot, and recommended for Thomerson fans.
Seven out of 10.
The high concept story is a time honoured one, having to do with the idea of seeing a tiny individual interact with giant surroundings. That individual is Dirty Harry type cop Brick Bardo (Thomerson, in fine form), who's from a distant planet rather similar to Earth. After chasing his nemesis Sprug (Frank Collison), a living severed head whose other body parts have been eliminated by Brick, to Earth, Brick realizes that by normal Earth standards he only stands 13 inches tall. Brick befriends a hot young South Bronx resident named Debi (Kamala Lopez) and her son, while Sprug aligns himself with local gang members led by Braxton (Jackie Earle Haley). Sprug has with him a deadly bomb, but Brick's own lethal gun is absolutely nothing to be laughed at.
The director is Albert Pyun, the man behind so many other low budget genre flicks, and the supporting cast features some of his regulars like Vince Klyn (the villain of "Cyborg"), Michael Halsey, and Nicholas Guest. Other actors you'll undoubtedly recognize are Frank Doubleday (a heavy in the John Carpenter favourites "Assault on Precinct 13" and "Escape from New York"), Luis Contreras ("After Midnight"), Eugene Robert Glazer (TV's 'La Femme Nikita'), and Judd Omen ("Pee-Wee's Big Adventure"). Great, grim 'n' ugly urban decay production design, decent pacing (it's NOT deadly slow), amusing music by Anthony Riparetti, entertaining gore, and ENJOYABLY unconvincing visual effects add to the diverting package that is this little B flick. Even at just over 82 minutes, however, one can see some padding, especially in the end credits.
Overall, it's a hoot, and recommended for Thomerson fans.
Seven out of 10.
Bottom-of-the-barrel cheese fest from Full Moon
Leofwine_draca27 June 2016
Pretty much bottom of the barrel stuff from Full Moon Entertainment, a company not especially renowned for making good films. The low budget is apparent here. The film also sounds a lot better than it actually is. To be honest, that 'acclaimed' TV series from the '60s, LAND OF THE GIANTS, was a hell of a lot more fun than this. The film should have concentrated on Bardo facing perils, a lot more perils than the mouse he faces in one short scene.
It could have been a wacky variation on THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN but unfortunately it's just boring; after the plot is set up nothing happens for about an hour, apart from people shooting each other occasionally and even that's not exciting. However there are a few choice bits of unintentional comedy on offer: this is the only film in which the stunt double is an action man! The humour - and there's a lot of it - consistently falls flat.
The acting is non-existent, apart from Tim Thomerson who remains bland but is not particularly bad. Obviously his experience (he's been in a lot of films like this, god help him) has helped shape him. To keep you interested (this is the plus side) there are some special effects which are interesting, such as the exploding people when Bardo shoots them with his powerful gun. There's a lot to laugh at but unfortunately not a lot to keep you interested. Watch only if you're desperate.
It could have been a wacky variation on THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN but unfortunately it's just boring; after the plot is set up nothing happens for about an hour, apart from people shooting each other occasionally and even that's not exciting. However there are a few choice bits of unintentional comedy on offer: this is the only film in which the stunt double is an action man! The humour - and there's a lot of it - consistently falls flat.
The acting is non-existent, apart from Tim Thomerson who remains bland but is not particularly bad. Obviously his experience (he's been in a lot of films like this, god help him) has helped shape him. To keep you interested (this is the plus side) there are some special effects which are interesting, such as the exploding people when Bardo shoots them with his powerful gun. There's a lot to laugh at but unfortunately not a lot to keep you interested. Watch only if you're desperate.
A Fun-Sized Futuristic Dirty Harry-Meets Suburban Commando-Meets Honey I Shrunk the Kids Anyone?
LostHighway10111 September 2010
Only a director like Albert Pyun could handle material like this. The director of many B sci-fi/martial Arts projects (the "Nemesis" series, "Cyborg"), a teen video game adventure, and a post-apocalyptic musical, Mr. Pyun loves to combine genre tropes into stimulating, unique experiences. Pyun asked what many B-filmmakers did in the Tarrantino administration: why bother with new material when it has all been done so well before?
The 90s direct-to-video market thrived simultaneously with this era of genre hybrids; those movies that recycled old genre tropes, archetypes, and approaches into new material. In "Dollman" Pyun makes a tasty salad out of various conventions from "Dirty Harry", "Honey I shrunk the Kids", "Suburban Commando", "Time Cop", various gang films, and the action and sci-fi conventionality of its era.
Tim Thomerson plays recurring Pyun character Brick Bardo who, in this incarnation, is a futuristic bad-cop who is inter-dimensionally displaced via space ship into the Bronx with his his WMD-packing floating head nemesis Armbruiser. During their trip, the two are shrunken into action figure proportions. After Bardo's spaceship is abducted by a young boy, he must struggle against various domestic terrors (the family dog, a cockroach) while Armbruiser shops his WMD to a dangerous local gang headed by the dangerous Braxton Red (Jackie Earle Hayley in a hammy, vicious performance).
Fortunately "Dollman" delivers in every way you want it to. The shrunken person tropes are satisfying and realized; the action scenes are intense; and its science fiction backbone is always present. Pyun juggles these elements well and has fun with the formulas at play.
Although it suffers from Pyun's tendency toward awkward pacing, "Dollman" is one of his strongest and most controlled films.
The 90s direct-to-video market thrived simultaneously with this era of genre hybrids; those movies that recycled old genre tropes, archetypes, and approaches into new material. In "Dollman" Pyun makes a tasty salad out of various conventions from "Dirty Harry", "Honey I shrunk the Kids", "Suburban Commando", "Time Cop", various gang films, and the action and sci-fi conventionality of its era.
Tim Thomerson plays recurring Pyun character Brick Bardo who, in this incarnation, is a futuristic bad-cop who is inter-dimensionally displaced via space ship into the Bronx with his his WMD-packing floating head nemesis Armbruiser. During their trip, the two are shrunken into action figure proportions. After Bardo's spaceship is abducted by a young boy, he must struggle against various domestic terrors (the family dog, a cockroach) while Armbruiser shops his WMD to a dangerous local gang headed by the dangerous Braxton Red (Jackie Earle Hayley in a hammy, vicious performance).
Fortunately "Dollman" delivers in every way you want it to. The shrunken person tropes are satisfying and realized; the action scenes are intense; and its science fiction backbone is always present. Pyun juggles these elements well and has fun with the formulas at play.
Although it suffers from Pyun's tendency toward awkward pacing, "Dollman" is one of his strongest and most controlled films.
Not to bad for what it's worth
mr-delocated3 August 2014
Dollman is not the greatest movie, but it is also not the worst. It's cheesy, it has one-liners, and it's low-budget. The movie has obvious problems, but it has a certain quality that makes it watchable. Most of it's problems stem from bad acting to cheap effects. I found the movie with a pack of others, including The Gingerdead Man( Made by Full Moon, who made Dollman).The movie definitely stood out from the others, being the best of the other movies( which isn't saying much). Some sites consider the movie to be horror. I wouldn't consider the movie horror, it's more sci-fi/action. Best to watch this movie with a few friends. It can be a good, one time cheese-filled experience.
Dull, man!
McBuff2 October 2001
Another trashy Grade Z quickie from the prolific Albert Pyun. Tim Thomerson´s 13 inch Clint Eastwood-like cop from outer space chases an ugly flying head(!) to Earth and gets involved in a gang war in South Bronx! Mercifully short, but deadeningly dull, with the cheesiest effects since Attack of the 50Ft Woman. They should have fired the continuity guy, too: Note how Thomerson´s sunglasses disappears and reappears in every second shot. Laughably bad, but that´s why we watch these movies, ain´t it? Sequel ´Dollman Vs. Demonic Toys´ is reportedly even worse, if that´s possible.
0 (of ****)
0 (of ****)
Might be small, but carries quite the punch...
paul_haakonsen2 September 2022
I stumbled upon the 1991 movie "Dollman" here in 2022, and I had never even heard about it. But seeing that it was Charles Band that was one of the writers, then the whole concept of the movie made sense, given his numerous movies with the killer dolls.
Of course I opted to watch director Albery Pyun's 1991 movie "Dollman", though I must admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any expectations for the movie, given the somewhat ludicrous synopsis.
Writers Charles Band, Chris Roghair, Ed Naha and David Pabian managed to put together an adequate enough storyline and script here. Needless to say that you're not in for a grand cinematic movie experience with this kind of movie. But it was watchable for what it turned out to be.
There are some familiar talents on the cast list, with the likes of Tim Thomerson, Jackie Earle Haley and Frank Collison. So there is something for those that grew up watching movies during the late 1980s and 1990s.
Visually then "Dollman" was okay. I mean, the effects in the movie weren't top of the line, but for a movie such as this, then the special effects were actually quite alright.
While this movie was watchable, it is hardly a movie that I would recommend you rush out to get a copy of to watch. Nor is it a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.
My rating of "Dollman" lands on a four out of ten stars.
Of course I opted to watch director Albery Pyun's 1991 movie "Dollman", though I must admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any expectations for the movie, given the somewhat ludicrous synopsis.
Writers Charles Band, Chris Roghair, Ed Naha and David Pabian managed to put together an adequate enough storyline and script here. Needless to say that you're not in for a grand cinematic movie experience with this kind of movie. But it was watchable for what it turned out to be.
There are some familiar talents on the cast list, with the likes of Tim Thomerson, Jackie Earle Haley and Frank Collison. So there is something for those that grew up watching movies during the late 1980s and 1990s.
Visually then "Dollman" was okay. I mean, the effects in the movie weren't top of the line, but for a movie such as this, then the special effects were actually quite alright.
While this movie was watchable, it is hardly a movie that I would recommend you rush out to get a copy of to watch. Nor is it a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.
My rating of "Dollman" lands on a four out of ten stars.
IT'S NOT A NIGHTMARE, IT'S THE SOUTH BRONX
nogodnomasters1 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Tim Thomerson stars as Brick Bardo, the "Dirty Harry" of the planet Arturos located 10,000 light years away. Arturos is one of those odd planets with a parallel development to that of Earth, down to the English language with slang. While chasing a bad guy (one that is just a flying head) the enter some undefined force field which causes them to crash land in the South Bronx at a time when chain smoker Kamala Lopez is trying to rid her neighborhood of drugs. Bardo is only 12 inches tall on this planet and instantly gets the nickname "Dollman" as he aids Kamala against a gang.
If you recall the special effects in "The Incredible Shrinking Man," they didn't get any better for this film. The movie was good on Arturos, but once they come to Earth, it spins its wheels. Not really worth a watch unless all you have are Asylum of Tempe videos.
F-bomb, no sex, no nudity.
If you recall the special effects in "The Incredible Shrinking Man," they didn't get any better for this film. The movie was good on Arturos, but once they come to Earth, it spins its wheels. Not really worth a watch unless all you have are Asylum of Tempe videos.
F-bomb, no sex, no nudity.
Slings Size-Related One-Liners
LanceBrave5 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I'm surprised I haven't talk more about Full Moon Entertainment. I should do a "Puppet Master" retrospective someday. Anyway, why am I talking about "Dollman" which isn't a horror film? A month ago, while browsing through my local Dollar Store, I found the "Dollman / Demonic Toys Box Set" for three dollars. A dollar a movie! I couldn't pass up such a bargain. As soon as I bought it, I knew I'd be reviewing all three for Halloween.
"Dollman" was probably motivated by three factors. It was a superhero movie released in the wake of '89's "Batman." Wikipedia will tell you that this film is unrelated to the Golden Age superhero of the same name but I refuse to believe this. It's not surprising that Charles Band would rip-off a diminutive superhero, considering his love of all threats tiny. Of course, there's nobody Band likes to rip-off more then himself. In Full Moon's long-running "Trancers" series, Tim Thomerson plays Jack Deth, a hard-boiled, sarcastic cop who chases a fugitive from the future to the modern day. In "Dollman," Tim Thomerson plays Brick Bardo, a hard-boiled, sarcastic cop who chases a fugitive from another planet to Earth. The catch? Though normal sized on his world, Brick is only thirteen inches tall on Earth. Armed with an absurdly powerful laser gun, Dollman cleans up the streets of Los-Angles-posing-as–New-York.
"Dollman" has a good sense of humor about itself. The title character is introduced as a bizarre riff on Dirty Harry, tying in fat ladies and laundry with the famous "You feelin' lucky?" sequence. Brick explodes a guy with a single shot, a hilarious special effect. Once on Earth, our hero is badgered by children, slings size-related one-liners and leaps from a building, somehow safely landing on a moving vehicle. The miniature Dirty Harry's new size doesn't affect his abilities much, save for a gag where it takes him several minutes to travel a short distance.
"Dollman," weirdly, reaches for social relevance. After the sci-fi intro, we get a long montage showing the crime-ridden city. Brick's normal sized love interest is a single mom attempting to survive in the ghetto. A post-"Bad News Bear," pre-"Watchmen" Jackie Earl Haley plays the villain, a nasty thug obsessed with the mom. In one of the more clever bits, what appears to be the primary villain is bluntly dismissed, making way for Haley's vulgar, clueless creep. Don't get the wrong idea. This is an Albert Pyun joint after all. As in accordance with all 90s low-budget action flicks, the climax is set in an abandoned warehouse.
Keep your expectations relaxed. "Dollman" is goofy, self-aware, violent, and featuring some solid actors having a good time.
"Dollman" was probably motivated by three factors. It was a superhero movie released in the wake of '89's "Batman." Wikipedia will tell you that this film is unrelated to the Golden Age superhero of the same name but I refuse to believe this. It's not surprising that Charles Band would rip-off a diminutive superhero, considering his love of all threats tiny. Of course, there's nobody Band likes to rip-off more then himself. In Full Moon's long-running "Trancers" series, Tim Thomerson plays Jack Deth, a hard-boiled, sarcastic cop who chases a fugitive from the future to the modern day. In "Dollman," Tim Thomerson plays Brick Bardo, a hard-boiled, sarcastic cop who chases a fugitive from another planet to Earth. The catch? Though normal sized on his world, Brick is only thirteen inches tall on Earth. Armed with an absurdly powerful laser gun, Dollman cleans up the streets of Los-Angles-posing-as–New-York.
"Dollman" has a good sense of humor about itself. The title character is introduced as a bizarre riff on Dirty Harry, tying in fat ladies and laundry with the famous "You feelin' lucky?" sequence. Brick explodes a guy with a single shot, a hilarious special effect. Once on Earth, our hero is badgered by children, slings size-related one-liners and leaps from a building, somehow safely landing on a moving vehicle. The miniature Dirty Harry's new size doesn't affect his abilities much, save for a gag where it takes him several minutes to travel a short distance.
"Dollman," weirdly, reaches for social relevance. After the sci-fi intro, we get a long montage showing the crime-ridden city. Brick's normal sized love interest is a single mom attempting to survive in the ghetto. A post-"Bad News Bear," pre-"Watchmen" Jackie Earl Haley plays the villain, a nasty thug obsessed with the mom. In one of the more clever bits, what appears to be the primary villain is bluntly dismissed, making way for Haley's vulgar, clueless creep. Don't get the wrong idea. This is an Albert Pyun joint after all. As in accordance with all 90s low-budget action flicks, the climax is set in an abandoned warehouse.
Keep your expectations relaxed. "Dollman" is goofy, self-aware, violent, and featuring some solid actors having a good time.
Despite some gruesome and bloody scenes, this movie keeps your interest...
dwpollar15 March 2001
Despite some gruesome and bloody scenes, this movie keeps your interest due to Thomerson's tongue-in-cheek humor and his almost Eastwood-like presence. This is a strange and unique science fiction that keeps you giggling just enough to keep you watching.
Great Full Moon B-Movie
Rautus7 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Dollman is a low budget sci-fi action movie made by Full Moon who are famous for making the Puppet Master movies, this film is actually a fun B-Movie that has action, gore and low budget special effects. Tim Thompson from the Trancers movies stars as Brick Bardo, a cop from an alien planet that chases after a criminal through space and ends up on Earth where he finds that he's the size of a Doll, the criminal joins up with a gang so that he can stop Brick since he injures one of their men, Brick meets a mother and her son and stays with them since he doesn't know much about Earth and can't really walk around since he's the size of a Doll. After attacking her house Brick helps her, the gang decide to get revenge and kill Brick Bardo but the toughest cop from another planet is about to take them on.
Dollman is a great B-Movie that should be seen. Check it out. 10/10
Dollman is a great B-Movie that should be seen. Check it out. 10/10
He May Be Diminutive But The Film Isn't...
P3n-E-W1s327 July 2019
The reason I originally watched this film was Tim Thomerson, who plays the lead role of Brick Bardo. I'd originally caught him in Trancers and, liking the kind of movies he appeared in, decided to give this a go. I'd already seen other Full Moon films so knew what to expect.
However, I was happily surprised. this film has better production values than the others I'd seen, this could be down to director Albert Pyun. Even the main cast members were strong. Thomerson, at this time, seamed to be stereotyped as the hard-nosed, no-bullcrap, type of hero and this isn't any exception. Though, it's James Earle Haley as Braxton Red and Nicholas Guest as his sidekick, Skyresh that add meat to the stories bones. These guys are street criminals and they pull off rough, ready, and hard very well. Picking Frank Collison to play Bardo's arch-enemy Sprug was masterful. Even though he's just a head on a flying plate, he's a head you won't forget quickly. Then the glue of the whole story, the character who binds it all together is Kamala Lopez as Debi Alejandro. A single mother, who works hard and fights harder to keep her family safe and well. She's the one who finds Bardo and helps him on his mission.
The special effects also put a smile on my face. Granted, most of the time the Dollman effect is just a question of perspective and camera angle techniques it actually works very well. It's Bardo's gun and the effect its ammo has on their victim that had the most money spent on it. These bullets literally blow the perp to smithereens - good gruesome fun. My favourite scene is the smoking sidekick - gory and funny... awesome. Even Sprugs fake head on a hover plate is close enough to be possible, though they couldn't spring for a fully automated version.
The story is the only thing that lets it down... but not too much. It's your basic good guy chases bad guy scenario. It's the other elements that are used to keep the audience entertained. And they are. Most of the jokes and sight gags work. And Thomerson's deadpan performance, believing all the lines he spouts, is more than humorous enough to keep you giggling.
This is one of the better Full Moon Entertainment titles and well worth a look-see.
However, I was happily surprised. this film has better production values than the others I'd seen, this could be down to director Albert Pyun. Even the main cast members were strong. Thomerson, at this time, seamed to be stereotyped as the hard-nosed, no-bullcrap, type of hero and this isn't any exception. Though, it's James Earle Haley as Braxton Red and Nicholas Guest as his sidekick, Skyresh that add meat to the stories bones. These guys are street criminals and they pull off rough, ready, and hard very well. Picking Frank Collison to play Bardo's arch-enemy Sprug was masterful. Even though he's just a head on a flying plate, he's a head you won't forget quickly. Then the glue of the whole story, the character who binds it all together is Kamala Lopez as Debi Alejandro. A single mother, who works hard and fights harder to keep her family safe and well. She's the one who finds Bardo and helps him on his mission.
The special effects also put a smile on my face. Granted, most of the time the Dollman effect is just a question of perspective and camera angle techniques it actually works very well. It's Bardo's gun and the effect its ammo has on their victim that had the most money spent on it. These bullets literally blow the perp to smithereens - good gruesome fun. My favourite scene is the smoking sidekick - gory and funny... awesome. Even Sprugs fake head on a hover plate is close enough to be possible, though they couldn't spring for a fully automated version.
The story is the only thing that lets it down... but not too much. It's your basic good guy chases bad guy scenario. It's the other elements that are used to keep the audience entertained. And they are. Most of the jokes and sight gags work. And Thomerson's deadpan performance, believing all the lines he spouts, is more than humorous enough to keep you giggling.
This is one of the better Full Moon Entertainment titles and well worth a look-see.
Dollman, Biznitch!
DavyDissonance30 August 2019
Imagine if the lady fell in love with Dollman and they ended up having sex. You know what? Nevermind. I just suddenly thought of tampons. Though a mozzarella with a mentally deficient story, Dollman is a fun movie with a silly conception, some good bloody action and a neat urban look. And bad acting is always a plus. And it's short too. Just like this review. Bye.
This is a Science Fiction gem that isn't outstanding but has a great nostalgic feel to it
kevin_robbins17 May 2021
Dollman is currently available for free on Tubi and tells the tale of a space law enforcement agent who crashes on Earth and discovers a family who needs his help; unfortunately, the agent is only 13 inches high. The section of the city the agent lands in is over run by gangs and they terrorize families and civilians throughout the neighborhood. Can a 13 inch spaceman help solve the family's issues and find his way off Earth in the process? This movie is directed by Albert Pyun (Cyborg and Sword and the Scorcerer) and the storyline reminded me a little of Hobo with a Shotgun. The action scenes and violence is very well portrayed and while delivered in 1991 this has a strong 80s feel to it. The acting in this is better than you'd expect as the cast includes Tim Tomerson (Near Dark), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) and Kamal Lopez (Deep Cover). Overall, this is a Science Fiction gem that isn't outstanding but has a great nostalgic feel to it. I recommend giving it a shot. I'd score it a solid 6.5/10.
"The Incredible Shrinking Man" crossed with a sci-fi Dirty Harry
a_chinn31 July 2022
I'm a sucker for the low budget direct-to-video movies from Charles Band's Full Moon Features, which brought us such cheesy classics as the "Puppet Master" "Subspecies, and "Oblivion" series of films. In this film, we have a hard-boiled space cop Brick Bardo, played by Tim Thomerson ("Trancers" "Cherry 2000" "Near Dark"), chasing down intergalactic criminal Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach from "Watchmen" and Kelly Leak from "The Bad News Bears"). Jackie Earle ends up on earth, but there's a Gulliver's Travels type of twist and Brick finds he's the size of a Ken Doll on this planet of earth giants. The novelty of a tiny Dirty Harry tough talking giant humans goes a long ways and is pretty entertaining. The film was directed by Albert Pyun ("Cyborg" "Nemesis" "Dangerously Close"), who I've always love his penchant for setting his films in the ruins of old factories, which conveniently double as distant planets, post apocalyptic wastelands, or contemporary urban blight (quite cost effective, Albert!). Overall, like most Full Moon Features, it's hampered my a low budget, a corny script, and middling direction, but it has an infectious scrappiness and unpretentiousness that I find hard to resist.
Tomerson best of the b list
metalrox_20008 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
While I was kinda surprised to see ex bad news bears star Jackie Early Harley as the villain, I found myself quite entertained by the story. Tim Tomerson has to be the best of the b action stars. Whether the good guy, like in Dollman and the Trancers series, or a villain in Nemesis, Tomerson has that relaxed cool aura about him that very few actors have. I saw this movie a few years ago late night on HBO, and mainly began watching it mainly because Thomerson was in it. Why this movie hasn't seen the light of day since is mind boggling, considering that slew of just awful movies that Sci-Fi channel shows. This is another must have for b movie fans, as is the Trancers series.
Dollman (1991)
jonahstewartvaughan29 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Cult Cuts Volume 31 (Return to the Video Store: Full Moon Rising Part One)
#3/4: Dollman (1991)
(7/10): Starring Tim Thomerson from Trancers as the titular Dollman, directed by cult director Albert Pyun and scored by Richard Band, the film offers up a solid amount of fun to had, but it did leave me wanting more as I was expecting something a bit different than what I got.
It follows Brick Bardo who, after dealing with the law in his own ways once again after suspension from the force he has left his planet and then crashes on Earth. People look the same as they do back on his planet on Earth except that on Earth the size ratio is drastically different meaning that he is about the size of a toy to them.
He manages to save a woman from a group of street hoodlums with his advanced weapons but after he gets taken in by her and her son the hoodlums come across someone who Brick has previously dealt with, and all that remains of him is a head that floats on a hovering machine and he strikes a deal with the hoodlums as he has a weapon of his own that could potentially turn them into a deadly threat.
It's silly but Tim Thomerson makes it worth a watch as he brings his same kind of energy and charisma that he had in Trancers which elevates it up as he's a pretty solid character actor.
The score is also quite interesting as it's not the usual type of score that I've heard from Full Moon, it sounds very nineties and hip-hop oriented which is an odd but welcome change of pace.
The effects are solid for a low budget production and it is making me come around on some of Full Moon's stuff as, when they have the money, they can actually make quite fun little movies and with this one being 82 minutes, again just like Doctor Mordrid, it's easy to digest and doesn't overstay its welcome.
#3/4: Dollman (1991)
(7/10): Starring Tim Thomerson from Trancers as the titular Dollman, directed by cult director Albert Pyun and scored by Richard Band, the film offers up a solid amount of fun to had, but it did leave me wanting more as I was expecting something a bit different than what I got.
It follows Brick Bardo who, after dealing with the law in his own ways once again after suspension from the force he has left his planet and then crashes on Earth. People look the same as they do back on his planet on Earth except that on Earth the size ratio is drastically different meaning that he is about the size of a toy to them.
He manages to save a woman from a group of street hoodlums with his advanced weapons but after he gets taken in by her and her son the hoodlums come across someone who Brick has previously dealt with, and all that remains of him is a head that floats on a hovering machine and he strikes a deal with the hoodlums as he has a weapon of his own that could potentially turn them into a deadly threat.
It's silly but Tim Thomerson makes it worth a watch as he brings his same kind of energy and charisma that he had in Trancers which elevates it up as he's a pretty solid character actor.
The score is also quite interesting as it's not the usual type of score that I've heard from Full Moon, it sounds very nineties and hip-hop oriented which is an odd but welcome change of pace.
The effects are solid for a low budget production and it is making me come around on some of Full Moon's stuff as, when they have the money, they can actually make quite fun little movies and with this one being 82 minutes, again just like Doctor Mordrid, it's easy to digest and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Dollman
phubbs23 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
There is something about this B-movie that I like, its hard to pinpoint as the film is so ridiculous and belongs in a cartoon realm. I guess its the quaint 'Twilight Zone' charm of the plot and the cheesy yet fun effects mixed with some great hammy acting.
Pyun regular Thomerson gives his best 'Dirty Harry' performance here as 'Brick Bardo' (great name) complete with silly shades and a long trench coat. His strong gritty voice barking out silly dialog left right 'n' centre to the wonderfully clichéd baddies and gang members lead by a young over acting J.E. Haley.
This film does seem to have a cult following (nowadays, upon release not so much) and its easy to see why as its highly enjoyable with its highly nonsensical premise. A classic lead character, terrific bad guys and brilliantly hokey effects. Pyun's best film along side 'Cyborg' most definitely, which I'm sure came as a shock to him.
8/10
Pyun regular Thomerson gives his best 'Dirty Harry' performance here as 'Brick Bardo' (great name) complete with silly shades and a long trench coat. His strong gritty voice barking out silly dialog left right 'n' centre to the wonderfully clichéd baddies and gang members lead by a young over acting J.E. Haley.
This film does seem to have a cult following (nowadays, upon release not so much) and its easy to see why as its highly enjoyable with its highly nonsensical premise. A classic lead character, terrific bad guys and brilliantly hokey effects. Pyun's best film along side 'Cyborg' most definitely, which I'm sure came as a shock to him.
8/10
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